Hello everyone!

Ok, so here are my current specs, first off:

GPU: 1x eVGA 8800 GTS 320mb Superclocked (and then some) running@600clock/900RAM w/stock cooler
CPU: Intel Q6600
RAM: 4x1GB Corsair PC2-8500 1066mhz (only 2814mb in x32)
HDD: 1xWD WD7500AAKS 750GB 7200RPM 16MB SATA 3Gb/s
MB: eVGA 680i SLI
Display: Dell 24-inch 1920x1200 (and I like it that way...)

So I have some extra money now, and I want to make my gaming experience better. However, I am not the typical PC gamer, from what I hear, as I play mostly strategy games; only a handful of shooters/RPGs, and not religiously at all. I want my next upgrade to maximize performance on strategy games, since those are what I enjoy the most, and experience slowdowns on the most too it seems, oddly enough. And the slowdown is usually not a framerate issue, the games just slow when they get "massive", for example, when there are lots of objects in the game, when AA is enabled. I thought maybe it was my RAM, but I never use much more than 1GB, usually much less, on any one game. So I am assuming it is due to my GPU limitations at high resolutions.

My three biggest are Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 @1600x1200 (get over it, I love it), Medieval II: Total War @1920x1200 and Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars @1920x1200, just to give you an idea of what I (wish to) run, hope it helps. Now onto my dilemma...

I cannot decide whether to sell my 320mb GTS and buy one GTX/Ultra, or just go ahead and get another 320mb GTS and run SLI. I like the prospect of future upgrades with the GTX/Ultra route, but I do not know if I will ever have the funds for such an upgrade, and I do not really want it to influence my decision, so just know that, I am more concerned about immediate results. I am pretty financially conscious, obviously, otherwise I would just take up eVGA on their offer to upgrade to 780i and run 3 Ultras.

That being said, I have checked pricing, and it is about the same, for the most part, for me to resell my GTS and get a GTX. To get an Ultra, I'll have to put out a little extra, and I could just overclock a GTX, right?! Correct me if I'm wrong...

So that's my main opinion thus far, between those two, as of writing this. But I want lots of opinions on what my choice should be and why, since I cannot decide. Tom's hardware's charts are not really helping, as it seems to be about the same there too, in most cases... I have looked around, and it seems for the most part that higher resolutions benefit from more memory, but how much should I consider that, and how much would it really matter with strategy-style games?

Also, might there be other performance-enhancing factors and options I have not considered, beyond just the GPU, for strategy-type games (primarily)? Would a faster HDD help? Perhaps RAID0? I'm open to alternatives as well...

Any help/advice will be greatly appreciated. Oh, and please do not get into arguments with each other, rebuttles are ok, but please provide some proof if you wanna show someone up here, I am quite sick of pointless forum-wars eating up threads... Thanks so much guys!

Hope I've said enough, now, enlighten me!

The 1st thing you should do is optimize your settings. Your PC2-8500 RAM is overkill for your system & if you're running it at it's default frequency, you're losing peformance. The CPU:DRAM frequency ratio should be 1:1...your's is currently 1:2. In other words, your CPU freq is running at 266MHz (1066MHz QDR) & your RAM freq is at 533MHz (1066MHz DDR). Manually config your BIOS settings to run the RAM freq at 266MHz (533MHz DDR) to match the CPU.

Just so you don't think I'm talking out my a$$:

http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=ge...

And since you do have such overrated RAM, have you considered overclocking? All you'd need to do configure your RAM settings as described above, lock the PCI-e bus at 100MHz, lock the PCI bus at 33MHz, disable all Spread Spectrum settings & increase the CPU freq from 266MHz to 333MHz. That would put your CPU at 3.0GHz (9 x 333MHz) & your RAM would run in step at 333MHz (667 DDR). You could probably even take it higher than that. This should help:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums...

I'd try that before "wasting" any money on another video card. I'm definitely not a fan of SLi or Crossfire, but there are those that will tell you, "it's only money". If you feel it's worth spending another $250-300 (or more) for a 2nd video card, knock yourself out. But make sure you have a power supply capable of handling it...if not, you'll have to drop another $170 into a 750W (or higher) SLi certified PSU. Avoid PSUs with multple +12v rails.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...

I agree with jam.....

Whenever possible, it is most desirable to run the CPU & RAM in sync so as to maintain that 1:1 ratio between those two. However, I am not as bothered when the RAM is clocked much faster than the CPU as opposed to a vice versa configuration, because as stated in that madshrimps article; (when) "the memory speed is now that much higher (that) it compensates for the loss of running asynchronous and overall performance does increase."

Another thing I forgot to mention is that gaming performance is better with XP than it is with Vista. You might wanna consider a Vista/XP dual boot configuration, then install your games on the XP partition.

kinda off topic but i have 320 mb 8800 gts, nforce 680i lt sli mobo, intel core2duo e6750, and 2 gigs ram, is crysis a possibility or should i just stick with cod 4 and bf2